Published on: Thursday, 10 March 2016
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
A team of volunteers joined forces at Whittlesea rail station to tidy up disused areas behind the platform on Friday 4th March to coincide with national ‘Clean for the Queen’ campaign weekend.
Members of the Hereward Community Rail Partnership and Whittlesey Street Pride Group along with representatives from Abellio Greater Anglia, Network Rail, and Railscape joined forces to remove weeds, brambles and buddleia from behind Platform 2 (Ipswich-bound).
The area was being cleared to accommodate a new raised bed, which will soon be installed. This will be planted and tended by the Community Rail Partnership and the Friends of Whittlesea Station that is currently being established.
Councillor Kay Mayor, a Fenland District Councillor and the Whittlesey Town Council representative from the Hereward Community Rail Partnership, said, “The CRP is committed to improving all the stations in North Cambridgeshire as part of our work to increase the number of local railway passengers. Clearing the debris on a large area of land at Whittlesea Station is the first step of a longer term plan for a station garden. Making the station an attractive place to wait for trains is one element of our wider masterplanning approach. We would like to thank everyone who turned up to support the event especially the Whittlesea Pride Group.”
Alan Neville, Abellio Greater Anglia’s Customer Experience Manager, who helped on the day, said, “Everyone worked really hard to clear weeds and debris to make way for a new garden area. The day was very enjoyable, with everyone participating with real enthusiasm and making a real difference in improving the overall appearance of the platform.”
More than one million people nationally were expected to join the UK’s largest litter pick over the Clean for The Queen Weekend over 4, 5 and 6 March.